The indirect hydration of olefins to alcohols and ethers has employed, in the conventional process, sulfuric acid as the esterification agent to form dialkyl sulfate and alkyl hydrogen sulfate esters. However, in the conventional processes, it is necessary to effect a costly reconcentration or reconstitution of sulfuric acid, the reconcentration resulting from the hydrolysis of the esters with an excess of water in order to prepare the necessary alcohols. The use of alcohols in the chemical industry is well known and covers a wide variety of fields. For example, ethyl alcohol is a staple alcohol of commerce and is used as a solvent, as an intermediate in organic derivatives of dyes, synthetic rugs, synthetic rubber, detergents, surface coatings, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, explosives, beverages, etc. Likewise, propyl alcohol and especially isopropyl alcohol is used in the manufacture of acetone, as a solvent for essential and other oils, gums, resins, etc., deicing agent for liquid fuels, pharmaceuticals, perfumes, lacquers, etc., while butyl alcohol is used as a solvent in varnish, lacquers, etc. In addition, other alcohols may be used as a component in fuels such as gasoline, etc.
As will hereinafter be shown in greater detail, it has now been discovered that an olefinic hydrocarbon may be hydrated to an alcohol as well as an ether utilizing an inorganic acid as an esterification agent without diluting the acid and eliminating the need for a reconcentration.